Renault have a refreshed version of their flagship
Fluence sedan. We discovered how fluent it really is when it comes to driving
around the 36 hairpin bends on the climb to Udhagamandalam (Ooty)
Four years after French manufacturers
Renault drove into India with the flagship Fluence sedan, there’s a refreshed
version of the car. The first lot of Fluence did not really fly off the shelves
as quickly as Renault would have liked, but they hope to change that with the
new car.
The route that the French manufacturers
have chosen is of evolution rather than revolution, which is to say they have
given the car a cosmetic upgrade while keeping the mechanicals and the
underpinnings unchanged.
The
Renault Fluence has a good balance between ride and handling
Thanks to Renault choosing to drive down
the evolutionary path, the Fluence continues to be a good-looking car. Its
coupé-like roof-line, a bonnet that is slightly longer than the boot and rising
shoulder-lines give it a nice sporty stance. On the whole, it’s a pleasant
looking car from the outside. On the inside, though, it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
We liked the leather-wrapped steering wheel and the funky instrument panel with
its large digital white backlit speedo. The dash itself is made of clean lines
and while a lot of Indian buyers seem to dig bling, we thought the aluminium
insert on the dash was a bit over the top. While overall fit-and-finish and
quality of plastics are good, there are some areas where the effort seems
half-hearted, particularly the cruise control button where the plastic around
the button in the test car was not smoothed out.
Fluence
cabin throws up a mixed bag. Most of it is well crafted but there are areas
where there could have been greater attention to detail
The seats are more or less comfy but could
do with a bit more under-thigh support. The cabin feels quite roomy at the
front, but may feel a little less so at the back thanks to the high window
sill, but overall the Fluence cabin is roomy enough for five passengers. French
ergonomics in the Fluence means the average Indian will need some time getting
used to since they are nothing like the German, Japanese, Korean or even Indian
cars we normally drive. For instance, in typical Renault fashion the controls
for the music system for the driver are mounted on a separate stalk attached to
the steering column. Some of the ergonomics is baffling, though. The button for
the cruise control, for example, is placed next to the handbrake on the central
tunnel. Also, the engine start/stop button is placed on the passenger side of
the centre console while the 12V socket is on the driver’s side. As far as
creature comforts and safety equipment go, the Fluence is comparable to any car
in its segment and there’s enough for most people’s requirements.
Heavy
clutch makes city driving cumbersome
Like the older car, the new Fluence
continues to be a good car to drive. Its 1.5-litre dCI turbocharged common rail
diesel injected engine (interestingly, Renault have now completely ditched the
petrol option for the Fluence in its upgraded avatar) offers a peak 110 PS of
power and a maximum torque of 240 Nm at 1,850 RPM.
